Invalid lifting and transferring device



Oct. 22, 1940. c. F. JONES INVALID LIFTING AND TRANSFERRING DEVICE Filed Dec. 8, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2.

42 Char/es F. Jbnes Oct- 22, 1940. c, JONES 2,218,883

I INVALID LIFTING AND TRANSFERRING DEVICE Filed Dec. 8, 1938 '4 Sheets-Sheet 2' Char/es Jbns ,S ea- WITNESS 08122, 1940. F; QN I 2,218,883

INVALID LIFTING AND TRANSFERRING DEVICE Filed D90. 8, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Chair/61s l-T'Jones Wax) Oct. 22, 1940. c, JONES 2,218,883

INVALID LIFTING AND TRANSFERRING DEVICE I Filed Dec. 8, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.8. 543 54a 54 72 /g gwumvbw Char/es F Jnes WINES:

Patented Oct.

aziatsjs I pmcr:

' Application December a,

The invention aims to provide a new and improved wheeled device; for use in the easy handling and moving; of patientsin hospitals and -the'like, for instance-, inflifting a patient from a bed, supporting comfortably on a stretcher, transferring him.to:.another point, lifting him from the stretcherand lowering him onto another bed, an'X-ray table, or an-operating table.

Another object is to provide-a device of the class above mentioned in :WhChqtle stretcher may be lowered suflicientjly topermitapatient to sit thereon, and may then be elevated; in convenient position to place him-"on' ja b'e'd,-t able' or the like, without dangerofithe attendantslniuringxthemselves by lifting thefpatientjbyhand, often in more or less awkward'positions.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings. v

Figure l is a perspective 'view showing I one form of construction, the parts being so posi-' tioned as to permit the base frameto be pushed under a bed. v

Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the relation of parts when the invalid is to be lowered onto or raised from the stretcher. I v

Figure 3 is an end elevation illustrating the manner in which the device is associated with the bed when a patient is to be moved from the latter or placed thereon.-

Figure 4 is an end elevation illustrating the device-in spaced relation with the bed, which position it assumes just after a patient has been removed from the bed or when preparing to place him upon the bed.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of my invention.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective of parts shown in Fi 5.

Figure '7 is an end elevation of the form shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through the pump.

In the form of construction shown in Figures 1 to 4, a horizontal base frameis shown at l2, preferably formed from metal tubing, said frame being provided with supporting wheels 13 preferably in the form of casters. A vertical back frame it is rigidly secured to and rises from the base frame l2 near one longitudinal adge thereof, said frame M, in the present disclosure, consisting of two vertical angle metal posts I! having their lower ends welded or otherwise secured to the frame I2, and a horizontal tube or the like hinged at one of its longitudinal edges to the iasa'serm at. 244,681 j l6 extending between theupper portions of said posts i [and welded 'or, otherwise secured thereto. Asuitably constructedstretcherl ll is 'provided I over the base frame i2, saidstretcher being upper ends-of the posts II, as shown at It, permitting saidstretcher to occupy a verticallyhangin'g position asseen in'Flgs. land 3, when the. :base frame 12 is to be pushed under a bed 3 in readiness for removing a patient therefrom or 10 placing a patient thereon. Two pivoted legs I! are provided to cooperate with the posts I! in supporting; the stretcher. in the horizontal operative position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. In the present showing, these legs aresecured to a rock shaft 20 mounted in suitablebearings 2| on the lower side of the stretcher ii, ,the free ends of saidlegs "being bifurcated at 2 2 to straddle the end bars of the base frame II when the legs are operativelypositioned. To limit the movement of the legs I! to this position, suitable stops" may be provided on the base'frame. To hold the legs 1,! in inoperative positions, against the lower side of the stretcher II when the latter is to be downwardly folded as in Figs. 1 and ii, spring clips '24 may. beprovided on said stretcher to engage said legs, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3.

Provision is made for lifting orlowering the patient as required, with the aid of slings 25 and raising and lowering means for said slings. when the patient is to be removed from the bed for example (see Fig. 3), the slings are passed under him and the'lifting means is operated to raise him from the bed, the stretcher I! being then in its downwardly hung position and the base I! being under the bed. After lifting the patient free from the bed, the entire device is moved outwardly away from said bed, whereupon the stretcher I1 is swung upwardly and heldby the legs l9. Then, the raising and lowering means is lowered to lay'the patient comfortably upon the stretcher II. The entire device may then be rolled to the point to which the patient is to be transferred, for instance, to an X-ray table, to an operating table, or 'to another bed. When the destination is reached, the lifting means is again operated to raise the patient from the stretcher ii, the legs I! are swung upwardly and engaged with the clips 24, the stretcher I1 is again lowered and the device is pushed toward the bed, table or the like onto which the patient is to be placed. The lowering means is then operated to lower the patient, whereupon the slings 25 are detached and the entire device moved away until further needed. In order that 55 the device may be moved into proper cooperative relation with operating tables, X-ray tables and the like having a supporting pedestal, one side bar 26 of the base frame I: is preferably bowed inwardly to'receive said pedestal.

While any appropriate means could be providedfor raising and lowering the slings 25, I prefer to make use of the construction shown. Horizontal supporting arms 21 are provided for these slings, said arms being preferably of telescopic nature in order that they may be extended and retracted as desired. These arms are connected by suitable vertical pivots 23 with slides 29 which are slidable but non-rotatable on a horizontal bar 30. This bar is rigidly carried by the upper ends of two shanks 3| forming parts of hydraulic jacks 32, the cylinders 33 of whichmay be welded or otherwise secured to the base frame l2 and to the horizontal tube or the like IS. A suitable pump 33 having an operating treadle 34 is shown to force the hydraulic fluid through a line 35 to the cylinders 33 for the purpose of forcing the shanks 3| upwardly. A suitable release valve for the hydraulic fluid may be provided, and for illustrative purposes, an operating button 35 is shown for this release valve. If desired, the base frame l2, being tubular, may constitute a. reservoir for the fluid handled by the pump 33 to effect raising and lowering of the patient-lifting and lowering means.

In Figs. 5 to 8, a wheeled base frame I2 is provided of substantially the same construction as the frame l2. Over this base frame is a stretcher I'I which is hinged at l8 to the upper ends of supporting posts I5 which are in the form of jacks, preferably hydraulic jacks. Two additional jacks I9 preferably also of hydraulic nature, are provided to cooperate with the jacks I5 in supporting the stretcher I! in a horizontal position, and whereas said stretcher lshinged to the jacks I5 it merely rests upon the upper ends of the jacks l9. By operating all of the jacks I5 and I9 simultaneously, the stretcher I'I may be raised and lowered as required. By lowering only the jacks fil the stretcher I! is free to swing downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3 in connection with the form of construction first described, enabling close relation of the device with a bed or the like. The jacks l9 may be lowered sufficiently to prevent them from striking any of the usual adjusting means for the head and/or foot sections of the bed, and if desired, the jacks I5 may be capable of lowering to the same extent. Thus, the entire stretcher l1 may simply be lowered to the maximum while remaining in a horizontal position, if desired, and said stretcher and the base frame may both move under the bed.

Associated with the construction above described, are two hydraulic jacks 32 similar to the jacks 32 and associated in the same manner with the arms 21 and slings 25, etc.

For operating the various hydraulic jacks, I have shown a triple pump" 33 having three foot pedals, 34, 34 and 34. The pedal 34"- operates one piston of the pump to supply fluid to the jacks I5 to raise them. The treadle 34' operates another piston of the pump to effect raising of the jacks l9 The pedal 34 operates the third piston of the pump to force the fluid which operates the jacks 32 The pedals 34 and 34* are preferably so closely associated that they may be both simultaneously operated with one foot if it be desired to simultaneously raise all of the jacks l5 and I9. However, by operating either pedal independently of the others, any set of the jacks may be operated independently of the other set- The base frame l2 may well constitute a reservoir for the hydraulic fluid to be used in operating 3'5 and 35 are illustrated for this purpose, said valves having appropriated foot-operated buttons or the like 31', 3! and 31, by which any of said valves may be opened to effect lowering of the desired jacks.

With the construction shown in Figs. 4 to 8 either with the stretcher Il hanging downwardly as seen in Fig. 7 or with said stretcher and the base I2 both under the bed, the patient-lifting means may be operated to lift the patient from the bed or the like. Then, when the device is moved clear of the bed, the stretcher may be operatively positioned to support the patient, said stretcher being either raised against the patient by the hydraulic jacks or the patient being lowered upon the stretcher by the lowering means. After being thus placed upon the stretcher, the device and the patient may be rolled to the required designation and the patient transferred to the operating table, X-ray table or the like. This form of the invention also permits lowering of the stretcher I! to such a position that a patient may be seated upon the same from a standing position upon the floor. He may then be eased to a lying position on the lowered stretcher, the stretcher raised, and the entire device used to easily transfer him to a bed or the like, without discomfort.

All operations effected by either form of construction are so performed that there is no danger of the attendants injuring themselves by lifting the patient, whereas quite serious strains, ruptures and the like often occur when the attendants must occupy awkward positions and lift the patients. Moreover, in cases where operations have been performed and the wounds stitched and bandaged, breaking of stitches often occurs when the patients are handled by the attendants under present-day practice, and the broken stitches are not discovered until the bandage is some days later removed for inspection of the wound. By using theinvention, no such occurrences will take place as the patient is not moved by any chance to any awkward or injurious positions.

Excellent results may be obtained from the general construction shown and described, and such construction is therefore preferably followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

I claim:

1. An invalid lifting and transferring device comprising a wheeled frame having a base to extend under a bed, a stretcher hingedly supported on said frame to occupy a downwardly hanging position at one side of the bed when said base is to underlie the latter, patient-lifting means mounted on said frame for lifting a patient from the bed while said stretcher occupies said downwardly hanging position, and means for supporting aid stretcher in a horizontal position under the elevated patient when said frame is moved away from the bed, whereby the patient may be lowered onto said stretcher to be transferred to any required point.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; said frame having vertically extensible and retractable portions carrying said stretcher to permit raising and lowering of the patient as required.

3. An invalid lifting and transferring device comprising a horizontal wheel supported base frame to extend under a bed, a vertical back frame rising rigidly from said base frame, a stretcher over said base frame and hinged at one edge to said back frame to occupy a downwardly hanging position at one side of the bed when said base frame is to underlie the latter, verticaljacks secured to said back frame and having upwardly extensibleshanks, means carried by and operated by said shanks for liftin a patient from the bed, and pivoted legs for holding said stretcher in a horizontal position under the elevated patient when the device is moved away from the bed, said legs then extending from the base frame to the stretcher.

4. An invalid lifting and transferring device comprising a wheeled base frame to extend under a bed, a stretcher above said base frame,a plurality of vertical jacks carried by said ,base frame for Jointly sup r ing said stretcher, said stretcher being hinged for downward folding to part of said plurality of jacks and merely resting upon the remainder of said plurality of jacks, whereby lowering of the latter will permit said 7 stretcher to occupy adownwardly hanging position at one side of the bed when the base frame is to extend under the bed, additional jack means carried by said base frame at the hinged edge of said stretcher, and-means carried by and operated by said additional jack means for. lifting a patient from the'bed while said stretcher octhe patient, he may lie upon said stretcher while being transferred from one point to another.

40 5. An invalid lifting andjtransferring device comprising a wheeled base frame to extend under a a stretcher above said frame, by-

their other ends with draulic jack means on said base frame to which one edge of said stretcher is hinged to occupy a downwardly hanging position at one'side of the bed when said base-frame is to extend under the bed, additional hydraulic jack means on said base frame to engage the other edge of said stretcher to coact with the first mentioned lack means in horizontally supporting the stretcher or raising and lowering the same when desired, and two pumps for said hydraulic jack means respectively,.said pumps having closely positioned operating pedals which may be simultaneously operated with one foot or selectively operated as required.

6. A patient-lifting and transferring device comprising a wheeled base frame to extend under a bed, means moimted upon one edge portion of said frame for lifting a patient from the bed when said base frame underlies the latter, a stretcher over said base frame, and means for raising and lowering said stretcher, said stretcher being lowerable to a position in which it may extend under the bed and being raisable to a position in which it may support the elevated patient while he is being transferred to another point.

'7. In an invalid lifting and transferring device, a wheeled base frame to extend under a bed, jack means rising from said base frame, a horizontal bar secured to the upper end of said Jack means to be raised and lowered thereby, said bar being positioned to extend longitudinally of the bed, slides slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said bar for adjustment longitudinally thereof, inner arm sections connected with and projecting laterallyJromsaid slides to transversely overlie the bed, outer arm sections unidirectional with said inner arm sections and slidably engaged therewith, and patient-fitting slings connected at one end with said inner arm sections and at said outer arm sections.

CHARLES F. JONES. 

